Pencil



June 9, 1925. v

' c. E. WEHN PENCIL y m MNH N. N MMM?, m MW M T m Patented June 9, 1925.

UNITED lSTATES 1,541,085 PATENT oFFlcE.

CHARLES E. WEHN, 0F ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T0 LISTO PENCIL COR- PORATION, 0F ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

, PENCIL.

Application led July 31, 1923. Serial No. 654,847.

to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation ofV pencils of this character. I accomplish this object by pre venting disengagement of the lead advancing rack with relation to the propelling nut, and by positively limiting the movement of the rack when fully` advanced and, conversely, when completely retracted; by eliminating back lash and accidental reverse rotation of the propelling nut when the lead is extended and the pencil is in. use; by providing a structure which permits ready replacement of new leads when this is desired, and by providing means for enclosing one end. of the lead advancing mechanismv andat the same time forming a housing or magazine for the ,reception of sparetleads.l

Further objects will hereinafter appear.

One form which my invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a central, vertical, longitudinal section through the pencil.

Fig. 2 is an exterior view of the pencil.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 3 3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a similar section taken on line 4 4, Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the propel# ling nut.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the housing which guides `jthe lead advancing rod and at the Sametime encloses one end of the rod propelling mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the coupler.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view Yof the lead propelling rack bar. y

The pencil illustrated in the present insection B, a removable lead receiving point.

or tip (1 and a lead propelling or advancing mechanism generally indicated at D. The

lead propelling mechanism as a whole conslsts of a coupler 2, which is perhaps best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 7. This coupler serves three functions, first, that of coupling or securing the barrel sections A and B with relation to each other; secondly, that of forming a guide for the lead propelling rack generally indicated at 3, and, third, that of supporting the lead propelling nut generally indicated at 4.

The coupler is a rod like member which is slotted from end to end, as indicated at 5, to form a guide for the rack bar indicated at 3. The center portion of the coupler is turned down to form a groove as indicated at 6. The nut 4 has a length equal tothe turned down portion 6 and is thereby secured against endwise movement.

The nut is interiorly threaded as indicated at 8, and as such engages the teeth 9 of the rack bar 3.

The nut indicated at 4 is constructed of metal, but it is in this inst-ance enclosed by a hexagonal shaped covering member generally indicated at 13, which is suitably secured'thereto. This member has a greater length than the nut 4 and as such forms a spacer between the barrel sections A and B and, simultaneously, a closure or cover for the nut and a pair of friction members 12.

The members l12 are. extensions of the re? spective barrel sections A and B and they are slightly tapered or cone shaped as shown in Fig. 1. The ends of the cover member 13 are similarly tapered and as such cooperate with the members 12 to form fric'- tional engaging faces to prevent turning movement of the nut in either direction, this being of considerable importance as it prevents back-lash and accidental reverse turning movement of the nut when the lead is projected and the pencil is in use. The covering member is, in most instances, constructed of Celluloid or like material and this is also true of the barrel sections A and B and the point C; this material being perferred as it is light and ornamental suitable manner, but actual practice shows thatl if the covering member is driven or pressed over the nut or shrunk thereon, satisfactory results are obtained Without employing other securing means. The barrel sections A and B, as previously stated, are spaced apart by means of the covering sectlon of the nut and they are secured with relation to the coupling member 2 in any suitable manner either by being pressed on, shrunk or otherwise secured.

The rack bar, which is best illustrated in Figs. l and 8, terminates in a rod 15; this rod serving the function of advancing the lead 16 from time to time as it is worn away; the advancing being accomplished by merely rotating the nut 4 in the proper direction; that is, the threads of the nut will during rotation thereof engage the teeth of the rack bar and as such will advance the rack bar and the rod 15 when rotated in one direction and will, conversely, retract the rack bar and the rod when rotated in the opposite direction. The frictional resistance imposed by the members 12 is comparatively slight and as such does not interfere with manual rotation of the nut but the friction is nevertheless sufficient to prevent accidental rotation when rotation is not intended and when the pencil is in use.

The rod 15 is positioned in direct alignment with the pencil lead indicated at 1G or the passage formed in the tip C, and it is maintained in positive alignment at all times by means of a housing member generally indicated at 17. This housing member consists of a strip of metal (see Fig. 6), which is bent upon itself to form a U-shaped clip. The outer end of the housing or clip is perforated, as at 18, to form a guide for the rod 15. The clip also serves two other functions, first, that of enclosing the rod and the rack bar, and, secondly, that of forming a housing or magazine for the reception of spare leads, that is, one end of the coupler is recessed to form a chamber as indicated at 19, and the clip is forced downwardly through a central passage 2O formed in the barrel section B until the ends of the clip enter the recess 19. The sides or legs of the clip when so entered lie parallel with the rack bar 3 and therefore serve as a closure or housing for the rack bar and the rod.

The sides of the clip at the same time divide the chamber 2O into two sections as indicated at 21 and 22 and these' sections form magazine chambers into which spare leads may be inserted when the tip C is removed; the spare leads being indicated at 23. (See Fig. 4.)

he tip proper is constructed as shown in Eig. 1 and preferably of the same material employed in connection with the barrel sections A and B and the covering member enclosing the nut 4. The center portion of the 'ed as at 2S and the lower end of the barrel section B is, as aconsequence, internally threaded to receive the same. The pencil is otherwise provided with a removable cap 30 and an eraser 31, which is normally enclosed by the cap. The usual form of eraser is employed but it is in this instance secured in a metal sleeve 32. This sleeve is threaded into the u per end of the barrel section A and is in act threaded from end to end to receive the cap 30, which is internally threaded to permit it to be screwed over the eraser and the bushing 32. This feature of the invention is, however, of no particular importance as this structure may be varied or may be entirely eliminated if an eraser is not desired.

- The salientfeatures of the present invention are, first of all, the provision of a coupler which is reduced in diameter to form a bearing for the propelling nut 4 and which also serves the purpose of coupling the barrel sections; secondly, the provision of means for frictionally resisting turning movement of the nut; third, the provision of a nut such as shown in Fig. 5 which is split longitudinally as indicated at 40 to permit it to be expanded so that it may be passed over the reduced section (i, and then contracted to its original form so as to form a perfectly round nut which will properly engage the teeth 'ot' the rack bar; fourth. the provision of the clip or housing 17 which forms a closure for one end of the lead propelling mechanism and a guide therefor, and which at the same time forms twomagazines for the reception of spare leads; and,

fifth, the provision of means for limiting the movement of the rack bar 3 so that disengagement of the rack bar and propelling nut is prevented; this being accomplished by blanking off or extending theiends of the rack bar as indicated at 41 and 42. These extended or blanked off portions do not only limit the extreme movements of the rack bar when completely extended or retracted, but they also prevent disengagement of the nut in the rack bar.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent`is 1. 'In a pencil of the character described, a rod like elongated coupling member having a longitudinally extending groove lll) formed thereinfa non-rotatable threadedI feed member slidable in the groove, a nut surrounding the coupling member and krotatable thereon and engaging the threads of the feed vmember to impart longitudinal movement thereto, and a pair of stop mem.

i bers one on each end ofthe threadedffeed sections, a coupling member interiorly of the barrel sections connecting the sections and maintaining them in spaced longitudinal relation said coupler having a longitudinally extending groove formed therein and an annular groove disposed at right angles thereto, a ntl; turnable about the coupler in the annulargroove and secured against lon i- Atudinal movement on the coupler by t eg said groove,'a'nda non-rotatable threaded feed 'member extending through the nut and slidable in the first named groove and adapted to be moved longitudinally by the nut.

3. A pencil comprising a pair of barrel sections, a coupling member interiorly of the barrel sections connecting the sections and maintaining them in spaced longitudinel relation, said coupler havingl a longitudinally extending groove lformed therein, a non-rotatable threaded feed member slidable in thev groove of the coupler, a nut surrounding the coupler and rotatable thereon and engaging the threads of the :feed member to impart longitudinal movement thereto, and a pair of stop members disposed one on each end of the threaded feed member to limit -longitudinal movement yof the feed membei` -in either direction and to prevent disengagement of the threaded feed member and the nut. Y

4. In a pencil of the character described,

the combination Jwith the coupler and thel longitudinally movable threaded feed member slidable therein, of a feed r'od forming an extension of the threaded feed member, a pencil barrel section enclosing one end of the coupler, the threaded feed member and the feed rod, and a housing disposed interior of said barrel, said housing forming a guide for the feed rod and dividing the 1nterior of the barrel into two lead receiving magazine chambers.

- 5. In a pencil of the character described, the combination with the coupler and the barrel sections supported thereby, of a feed member longitudinally movable in the coupler,- a nut surrounding the coupler and engaging threads formed on the feed member, a sleeve like member enclosing the nut, a tapering friction face formed in each end of the sleeve member, and cooperating friction members formed on the adjacent ends of the respective barrel sections.

6. In a pencil of the character described, a rod shaped coupler having a key-wa formed therein extending from end to en a rack lbar longitudinally movable in the key-Way, a split nut surrounding the coupler and engaging thel teeth of the rack bar,

meansv on the coupler securing the nutv against longitudinal movement and a stop -member on each end of the rack bar to limit the movement of the rack bar'with relation to the nut and the coupler, and to prevent disengagement of the nut with relation to the teeth of the rack bar.

7. In a pencil of the character described, the combination with the coupler and the barrel sections supported thereby, of/ a threaded feed memberl longitudinally movable in the coupler, a nut surrounding the coupler and engaging the threads formed on the feed member, a tapering frictionmface formed on each end Vof the nut, and cooperating friction faces carried by the coupler and engaging the adjacent ends of the nut.

CHARLES E. WEI-IN; 

